Collector-ionizer electrode



Jan. 27, 1959 J. F. VALVO ErAL' 2,

- COLLECTOR-,IONIZER ELECTRODE Filed July 27, 1955 INVENTORS Jorepfi Va/ro BY Peter #aofron Wiewed from a vertical plane extendi-ng-through .th

. mam-asst p consortia-Ionizer:purucraonu Joseph F. V'alvo, Stillwater, kla., aud Peter Hodson,

Wellsville N *Y,::assignoms zto iAprazPrecipitator 'Corj poratromtNe ork,rN.:Y.,;;a;:corporafion:tot-Delaware Applic tio myizairsssifserr amas -r ..5.:(tlaims. :(GLZISM'Z) ismernbers:must be maintained atriatconstantndimension,

and in the case of circular inner and hexagonal outer members, the annularspace--must be kept constant as excenter agonal mfrtherinner-tmemberand thetifiat sideswf the;

outer member.

It thus becomes a general object of our invention to provide an electrode arrangement of the character described which is simple and easy to install or replace and yet is positively positioned so that the inner electrode member is at all times concentrically held within the outer collecting surface.

It is a more specific object of our invention to provide a flexible mounting arrangement for a collector-ionizer electrode whereby said electrode will notbe subject to misalignment or bowing within a concentric outer member.

These and other objects of our invention have been attained by providing flexible mounting devices at opposite ends of the ionizing electrode member so that compressive or transverse stresses may not be transmitted to the collecting electrode to effect bowing or other distortion thereof.

How these objects and advantages of our invention are attained will be more readily understood by reference to the following description and the annexed drawing in which:

Figure 1 is a fragmentary view taken inside a precipitator housing showing in elevation a tubular collecting surface with a collector-ionizer electrode constructed according to this invention.

Figure 2 is a modified form of flexible mounting means for the ionizing electrode.

Grid members and 11 are made integral wit-h collecting cylinder 12 by means of intermediate insulators diagrammatically illustrated at 29 which maintain the grid members spaced apart a fixed distance so they may serve as a positive support for the collector-ionizer electrode 13, 15.

The collector-ionizer electrode is suspended at one end from upper grid member 10 and is guided at its opposite extremity by a lower grid member 11. The electrode is at all times normal to the planes of the spaced grid members, and it is understood that this assembly is mounted 2,870,861 Patented .Jan- 2. .195

ice

. 2 within an enclosing "housing having gas inlet andloutlet openings which permta tstrearnqof gas. to .fiQW lbfiffithroug'h =substantially parallel jto the suspended :collectoniqnizer electrodes ,.\De'tails.of. the ;.housing and the gas. inlet and outlet means .are not ilh s trated because they ,represent no part of the inventionbuh reference may f be made ,to 'Patent. No. 2,5 82,1 3 3 [for t disclosurej of onetype of .houst in mwhich .th lds e 01 thi -inven i ti r a i y. ada

bl i 10 Eachelectrode assembly comprises .a.cyl ind1 'ical -.-col- .lector section 1-3 pivotally v suspended ,at Q its .fupper end from an ,uPper grid,Jnember ,1'0. 1 The {lowerendof the .collecting electrode;13 is: removably.conneetedtoja make- .upystub l rm a .an ien fp o o the ni i e ele 15 stro e ass mbly Whil th iq zin fil ctrode .1 i h i ionizing. discs .16 is connected, to. the make up stub ,13j-by meansofadaterally. pivotal joint .17. This joint may. take the form. of. one -or..'a;plur.ality.of. strands of laterally flexible whens-shown inlEigure 1, a coiled wire rnember lfi as shown ;in Eigure 2 .or ;.,any.. one of several nonillustra t or ouc a a c i i nk n memba pivoted pin type universal joint or a ball 'typenniversal joint. A simjlar laterally fiex ible 2 joint 17 connected to th lo s/ e l'Q Q. md tpro i e a 01 inf cting link between. the. electmdeand. an adjusting link .1=9,,whic h has a threaded portion 124) extending through an opening 21in. the..lower grid .11 whereby ,an adjusting .;nut .22 screwcd against an tintermediate spring 23 places a tQ $iQu l P0 l theelectmde as mbly-ly n i r ediate th spa ce i v mbrs- .-.In}the.to1'm i lustrated iniF i u .1., t uppe p r 24 -.of oileeting electrode :13, is tnec kedl down to j pass throu h-ta open n 2 g i r --W i iin 'a i n with the opening 21 in lower grid 11. i A pivotjnemb er 26 with a convex face providing a ball-typefriction surface is fixed to the end of the collecting electrode which extends through opening 15 in grid 1. The member 26 is preferably fixed to the collecting electrode by means readily. removable as is illustrated by pin 28 of Figure 1.

In a collector-ionizer electrode of the type herein defined, the ionizer portion comprising the disc bearing section 15 is first provided at opposite ends with laterally flexible members 17. Top member 17 is attached to make-up stub 14 which is in turn adapted to be remov' ably attached to collecting electrode 13. Link 19 is provided with a diameter less than that of opening 21 to permit it to pass freely therethrough. Upper end portion 24 of collecting electrode 13 is necked down to a diameter similar to that of link 19 to permit its passage through opening 25 in grid 16. It is to be noted that the diameter of opening 25 is considerably larger than that of neck 24' to permit substantial lateral re-alignment.

In assembling a unit comprising a collector-ionizer electrode concentrically positioned within a cylindrical collecting surface 12 of the type illustrated, the collecting surface is first arranged to rest upon insulators 29 which support it concentric with respect to openings 21 and 25 in the spaced grid members. It is to be understood the insulator supports 29 are an illustrative embodiment only since in practice a large number of collecting tubes are combined and supported as a unitary body by insulators positioned only at infrequent intervals. The complete electrode assembly is then lowered into each collecting tube 12 so neck 24 thereof may be inserted through opening 25 in grid 10 where it is adapted to receive convex pivot member 26which is linked thereto by a cotter pin 28 or other linking means. The opposite end of the electrode assembly comprising connecting link 19 is inserted through opening 21 in the lower grid 11, so the entire electrode assembly may be brought under tension by a force applied through spring 23 as induced by nut 22. When under tension in the manner above described lateral or axially compressive forces may be applied to the electrode and grid assemblies without causing bowing of the electrodes or other deformation thereof which might promote arcingand subsequent loss of collecting efficiency. A 1

A suitable source of high voltage direct current issupplied to the collector-ionizer electrode assembly through the electrically conductive grid members; Since the collecting cylinder is insulated from the electrode assembly, it may be grounded to provide'an electrostatic cell as illustrated by Figure 1. In practice a multiplicity of similar cells are placed in juxtaposition to provide gas cleaning capacity for any predetermined quantity of gas flow., What we claim is:

' 1. In an electrostatic precipitator having a support grid and a guide gridspaced apart in parallel planes, an electrode assembly intermediate said grid members comprising a collecting electrode pivotally, suspended from the support grid; an ionizing electrode axially aligned'with the'collecting electrode and pivotally connected thereto; a collecting surface positioned concentrically around said electrode assembly and insulated therefrom;'and resilient tached to the axially spaced 'end of said ionizing electrode; and resilient connecting means interconnecting said adjusting link and said guide grid arranged whereby the collector and ionizer, components are maintained under constant tension.

3. In an electrostatic precipitator having a support grid and a guide grid spaced'apart in parallel planes, an electrode assembly intermediate said grid'members comprising a collecting electrode pivotally suspended from the support grid; an ionizing electrode axially aligned with the collecting electrode and having an end pivotally connected thereto; an adjusting link pivotally attached to the axially spaced end of said ionizing electrode; a collecting surface positioned around said electrode assembly and insulated therefrom; and resilient connecting means interconnecting said ionizing electrode and said guide grid whereby the electrode assemblyjis maintained under tension in axial alignment within the concentric collecting surface.

4. Anelectrostatic preciptator having a support grid and a guide grid. spaced apart. in parallel planes; an elec trode assembly intermediate said grid members comprising a collecting electrode pivotally suspended from the support grid; an ionizing electrode axially aligned with said collecting electrode; an adjusting link axially'ali'gned with said ionizing electrode and resiliently mounted on said guide grid; j and pivotal extending means interconnecting axially-remote ends of the ionizing electrode to the collecting electrode and to the adjusting link. 5. An electrostatic precipitator asdefined in claim 4 wherein the pivotal connecting means comprises flexible wire members axially parallel to the ionizing electrode.

' References Cited in the file of this patent UNITEDv STATES PATENTS 

